Page:The castellated and domestic architecture of Scotland from the twelfth to the eighteenth century (1887) - Volume 1.djvu/104

 FIRST PERIOD ROTHESAY CASTLE ing this, and masking it, contains the shoots from latrines on the upper floor. The chamber on the east side adjoining the stair to the hall seems to have served as a guard-room, from the small window in it commanding the entrance passage. FIG. 59. Rothesay Castle. Plan of First Floor of Palace. The upper floor of the keep (Fig. 59) is now approached by a long straight stair from the courtyard, but the original stair was evidently that adjoining the guard-room. This led to the hall, which was 49 feet long by 24 feet 6 inches wide. The great fireplace still remains, and there appear to have been windows on three sides. At the south end a portion, 12 feet wide, was cut off by a partition to form a private room, which had a large window overlooking the courtyard. From this passages in the heightened portion of the wall of enceinte lead to the north-east and north-west towers, which were probably used as apart- ments in connection with the palace. On the upper floor above this point are the remains of groined and ribbed vaulting, as if there had been a small vaulted oratory there (Fig. 59) ; otherwise, the upper floor cannot now be distinctly made out. The square west tower contains two wide apertures, which terminate in shoots into the moat at the base of the tower, and were evidently the latrines for the two upper floors (Fig. 58).